This invention is directed to hygienic absorbent articles, such as diapers, training pants, adult incontinence articles, feminine protection articles and the like.
Wearable absorbent articles are well known in the art. These articles typically have an absorbent core, which is held or positioned against the body of the wearer during use by a fastening system, such that the bodily exudates are caught by the article. Typical absorbent articles include a topsheet facing the wearer which permits fluid exudates to pass through and a backsheet which prevents the exudates from escaping from the absorbent article.
Many advancements have been made in the art since the introduction of the disposable absorbent article. However, problems still exist relating to the acceptance and storage of feces. The problem has been difficult to resolve because feces generally will not pass through a topsheet and thus, remains free to move about in the diaper until the diaper is changed. This often leads to feces escaping the diaper or soiling of the wearer""s skin.
In order to prevent the feces from escaping the absorbent article or soiling the skin, apertures have been provided in the topsheet which allow the feces to pass to a void space disposed between the topsheet and underlying layers of the diaper. However, the apertures are difficult to position during application of the article and often move from the desired position when the article is worn.
Some degree of success has been achieved using an elastically foreshortened topsheet having a generally elliptical aperture to allow feces passage and retention away from the skin. These articles are disclosed in U.S. pat. No. 4,892,536 issued to DesMarais and U.S. pat. No. 4,990,147 issued to Freeland both of which are incorporated herein by reference. These approaches have the limitation of not maintaining alignment of the opening with the wearer""s anus in one or more of the longitudinal, lateral or z-direction axes of the article. Further, if the opening shifts laterally to a significant degree, the opening may achieve a geometric lock on the edge of the buttocks, decreasing the likelihood of proper aperture alignment with the anus.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide an absorbent article having an aperture providing a passageway to a void space for receiving bodily exudates with improved fit and alignment capability which can be sustained during use.
In order to solve one or more of the problems found in the art, an absorbent article, such as an adult incontinence article, baby diaper, training pant or feminine hygiene pad, includes an elongate slit opening providing a passageway between a point of discharge on the wearer and a void space for receiving and storing bodily exudates. The elongate slit opening includes longitudinal elasticated side edges to maintain the opening in alignment and proximity with the point of discharge on the wearer during use.
Preferably, the absorbent article comprises a topsheet including an elongate slit opening in communication with a void space for receiving fecal waste therein, a backsheet joined with at least a portion of the topsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between at least a portion of the topsheet and the backsheet. The topsheet is foreshortened along portions of longitudinal side edges of the elongate slit opening to produce elasticated regions which contain stored elastic energy producing tensile forces which are distributed laterally away from the slit opening. The elasticated regions force the slit opening into the gluteal groove during wear, maintaining the lateral and longitudinal alignment and Z-direction proximity of the slit opening to the wearer""s anus initially and throughout the wear cycle. Distributing the tensile forces laterally about the opening minimizes the concentration of stored elastic energy along the edges enabling insults of fecal matter to deflect the side edges allowing it to pass through the opening to the void space.